A loudspeaker, or “speaker”, as used herein, may use a moveable, baseless, approximately conical diaphragm to produce sound. Some diaphragms have radially symmetrical curvature or other shape variations (some are almost flat) that vary the geometry of the diaphragm from a strict geometric cone. The term “approximately conical,” as used and defined herein, is intended to encompass such variations. The diaphragm is moved by a voice coil, which is attached to the diaphragm near the center of the base, or near the apex of a conical diaphragm. The voice coil, which rests in the magnetic field of a magnet assembly, receives an audio-encoded electrical signal, or “audio signal”, which causes varying current in the voice coil and, by interaction of the voice coil current with the magnetic field of the magnet assembly, resultant sound-producing movement of the diaphragm. The voice coil is constrained to one-dimensional motion, perpendicular to the base plane of the diaphragm, by a flexible support structure called a “spider.” The magnet assembly may comprise a magnetically permeable pole piece, a permanent magnet, and a magnetically permeable top plate. The pole piece may feature an annular groove, or “air gap,” to permit motion of the voice coil deeper into the magnetic field of the magnet assembly. The diaphragm is supported at its base perimeter by a flexible suspension, or “surround”, which, in turn, is supported by a structure called a “basket.” The top plate of the magnet assembly and the spider are also connected to the basket. The opening of the diaphragm at the center is often covered with a dust cap, which reduces the amount of dust that may affect voice coil motion in the annular groove.
A theoretical omni-directional speaker disperses sound, ideally in a 360° arc. Expressed in solid angle terms, the ideal direct sound dispersion for an omni-directional speaker is 2π steradians. Thus, “omni-directional” is a technical misnomer, but is in common use in the industry. The arc is often oriented horizontally, in order to fill a room with sound. Many current omni-directional speakers have a sound dispersion element, often a cone pointed toward the speaker, suspended above the vertically oriented speaker. The cone changes the sound path from moving coaxially with the diaphragm to moving radially outward from the cone or other dispersion element. Struts, legs, fins, or other supports in the sound path are used to provide mechanical support for the inverted-cone dispersion element. Such mechanical supports are required to maintain the sound dispersion element in a proper orientation and spaced apart relationship relative to the speaker. These mechanical supports in the sound path interfere with sound waves traveling away from the dispersion element and so prevent complete 360° sound dispersion.
Prior attempts to combine speakers with lamps have failed to provide an unobstructed 360° arc of sound. In placing an appliance above a horizontally oriented omni-directional speaker, wires may be routed through the mechanical supports used for the dispersion element. This may require a mechanical support of larger cross-sectional dimension and so interfere with sound dispersion even more than would occur without the appliance wiring. Routing the wire over a long distance to avoid sound obstruction is also undesirable.
The integration of audio components into or onto existing electrical appliances, such as ceiling fans, presents a space-saving opportunity. Ceiling fans are often located centrally in a room, making them ideal locations for an omni-directional speaker. Some ceiling fans, as commercially manufactured, have adaptations for attaching light fixtures on the fan body below the fan blades such that the attached light fixture does not rotate with the fan blades.
Hence, there is a need for an omni-directional speaker that has no physical obstructions in the path of the sound leaving the sound dispersion element. There is also a need for an apparatus to assist in routing electrical power wires past an omni-directional speaker in a way that does not create or exacerbate physical obstructions in the sound path. There is also a need for an omni-directional speaker lamp having no obstructions in the sound path. There is also a need for an omni-directional speaker, optionally with a lamp, that is attachable to a ceiling fan, in the same fashion as lamps alone are attached to ceiling fans. The present invention addresses these needs.